The present invention relates to an improved nail clipper having movably mounted ring members into which the forefinger and the thumb or two fingers of a user may be inserted to allow a firmer grip on the clipper during use.
The basic construction of a nail clipper has not changed much over the years. U.S. Pat. Nos. 569,903 to Wenger and U.S. Pat. No. 1,394,727 to Gronbech illustrate some of the older types of nail clippers. As shown in these patents, nail clippers typically have first and second members joined to each other at one end. The first and second members each include a jaw portion at a second end opposed to said one end. The nail clippers typically include an operating lever for moving the jaw portions of the first and second members from an open position to a cutting position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,137 to Husain illustrates a newer version of a nail clipper also having first and second members that are joined together at one end, which members include jaw portions at the opposite end, and an operating lever for moving the jaws into a nail cutting position.
In some of these older constructions, a pivotable member is provided to lock the operating lever in a fixed position relative to the first and second members. In the Wenger patent, the pivotable member comprises a ring member mounted into side walls of the nail clipper. The ring member maintains the operating lever in a fixed position by engaging a notch therein. U.S. Pat. No. 612,990 to Kiefaber illustrates a similar arrangement where a rectangularly shaped member engages the tip of an operating lever.
It is known in the art to provide cutting implements with finger grips for allowing a user to more firmly grasp the implement. U.S. Pat. No. 2,422,207 to Nalpantian for example illustrates a manicuring implement having rings into which the fingers of a user may be inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,006 to Roberts illustrates a device for clipping the stems of fruit and the like having partially circular members mounted to the device for receiving the thumb and forefinger of an operator's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,966 to Sartore illustrates a nail clipper having upper and lower handles in the nature of scissor handles for facilitating holding the nail clipper and maintaining it in a desired position.
The principal difficulty with the finger retaining means known in the prior art is that they are non-movable and fixed in position with respect to the various components of the clipper. As a result, it can be difficult to properly position the clipper so as to cut a nail without inflicting any injury on the user. This is particularly true when the user is attempting to cut a toe nail.
The nail clipper of the present invention successfully overcomes this problem.